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OTC ends DL’s season

Opportunities were lost by the Detroit Lakes baseball team, thus resulting in a narrow 6-5 defeat to visiting Ottertail Central Tuesday at Washington Ballpark in the opening round of the Section 8-2A playoffs.

Unfortunately for the Lakers, it was the single elimination portion of the playoffs, as DL ends the season with a record of 8-12.

The No. 5 Bulldogs (13-6) got a complete game out of their pitcher junior Nick Trosdahl, who needed a couple of escape routes out of potential big innings for the Lakers, who held the No. 4 seed.

Clinging to a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, Trosdahl gave up back-to-back walks to give DL the tying and go-ahead runs on base with no outs.

But the Bulldog pitcher regrouped and struck out the next three batters to end any threat.

The Lakers made sure the deficit was going to be just one run heading into the bottom of the seventh, after junior relief pitcher Ryan Cihak made a nice pickoff play to second to end the frame to set up DL’s chances to advance – and it looked like that it may.

The Lakers drew a lead-off walk by Ben Thompson, followed by Sam Voz getting hit by a pitch.

A well-placed bunt by Boyd Bradbury down first base line loaded the bases with no outs.

But momentum soon turned sour for the Lakers, as a failed squeeze bunt and a tag out at the plate on Thompson resulted in the first out.

Trosdahl regained his control and proceeded to throw consecutive strikeouts, leaving Laker runners on second and third base as the game and season ended.

The Lakers hit well, with each of Voz and Bradbury hitting back-to-back RBI doubles in the bottom of the third, but defense was lacking, as only two of OTC’s six runs were earned due to four DL errors.

Starting pitcher Connor Johnson had a solid outing by giving up those two earned runs and four unearned.

OTC will advance to play top-seeded Perham Thursday in Hawley at 3 p.m. in the double-elimination portion of the tournament.